Method and system for time-aligned media playback

Abstract

A method performed by a first electronic device. The method generates, at the first electronic device that is sharing a global clock with a second electronic device, a first timebase information that includes a first timebase that defines a relationship between the shared clock and an internal clock of the first electronic device, the first timebase information for synchronizing playback of a first piece of media content associated with a first application between the first and second electronic devices. The method receives, from a second application, a second timebase information that includes a second timebase that defines a relationship between the first timebase and a second piece of media content, generates a third timebase information that includes the first timebase and the second timebase, and transmits the third timebase information to the second electronic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, from a first application that is being executed on a first electronic device, timebase information that includes a first timebase that defines a relationship between a playback state of audio content of the first application and an internal clock of the first electronic device or another timebase; 
 receiving metadata that indicates a logical function that is to be performed by a second application; 
 generating, based on the metadata, a second timebase that defines a relationship between the first timebase and a performance of the logical function by the second application; and 
 providing the second timebase to the first application. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance of the logical function comprises displaying an image or animation, wherein the second timebase is configured to synchronize the playback state of the audio content with the displaying of the image or animation. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata is associated with the second application that is configured to perform the logical function, wherein the second timebase is provided, by the second application, to the first application that is being executed on the first electronic device via an application programming interface (API). 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein providing the second timebase comprises:
 establishing, by the second application that is being executed on a second electronic device, a communication data link via the API; and 
 transmitting, over the communication data link, the second timebase to the first electronic device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by the second application that is a third-party application with respect to the first application that is being executed by the first electronic device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second timebase synchronizes the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the method further comprises:
 after providing the second timebase, adjusting the relationship between the first timebase and the performance of the logical function; and 
 providing the second timebase with the adjusted relationship to the first application to resynchronize the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first and second electronic devices. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining an alignment to perform the logical function with respect to the playback state of the audio content to synchronize the performance of the logical function with the audio content during playback by the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the second timebase is generated based on the determined alignment. 
     
     
       8. A first electronic device, comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 memory that has instructions which when executed by the at least one processor causes the first electronic device to:
 receive, from a first application that is being executed on the first electronic device, timebase information that includes a first timebase that defines a relationship between a playback state of audio content of the first application and an internal clock of the first electronic device or another timebase; 
 receive metadata that indicates a logical function that is to be performed by a second application; 
 generate, based on the metadata, a second timebase that defines a relationship between the first timebase and a performance of the logical function by the second application; and 
 provide the second timebase to the first application. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The first electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the performance of the logical function comprises displaying an image or animation, wherein the second timebase is configured to synchronize the playback state of the audio content with the displaying of the image or animation. 
     
     
       10. The first electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the metadata is associated with the second application that is configured to perform the logical function, wherein the second timebase is provided, by the second application, to the first application that is being executed on the first electronic device via an application programming interface (API). 
     
     
       11. The first electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the second timebase is provided by:
 establishing a communication data link via the API; and 
 transmitting, over the communication data link, the second timebase to the first electronic device. 
 
     
     
       12. The first electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein operations of receiving the timebase information, receiving the metadata, generating the second timebase, and providing the second timebase are performed by the second application that is a third-party application with respect to the first application that is being executed by the first electronic device. 
     
     
       13. The first electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the second timebase synchronizes the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the memory comprises further instructions to:
 after providing the second timebase, adjust the relationship between the first timebase and the performance of the logical function; and 
 provide the second timebase with the adjusted relationship to the first application to resynchronize the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first and second electronic devices. 
 
     
     
       14. The first electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the memory comprises further instructions to determine an alignment to perform the logical function with respect to the playback state of the audio content to synchronize the performance of the logical function with the audio content during playback by the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the second timebase is generated based on the determined alignment. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein that configure an electronic device to:
 receive, from a first application that is being executed on a first electronic device, timebase information that includes a first timebase that defines a relationship between a playback state of audio content of the first application and an internal clock of the first electronic device or another timebase; 
 receive metadata that indicates a logical function that is to be performed by a second application; 
 generate, based on the metadata, a second timebase that defines a relationship between the first timebase and a performance of the logical function by the second application; and 
 provide the second timebase to the first application. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the performance of the logical function comprises displaying an image or animation, wherein the second timebase is configured to synchronize the playback state of the audio content with the displaying of the image or animation. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the metadata is associated with the second application that is configured to perform the logical function, wherein the second timebase is provided, by the second application, to the first application that is being executed on the first electronic device via an application programming interface (API). 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein providing the second timebase comprises:
 establishing, by the second application that is being executed on a second electronic device, a communication data link via the API; and 
 transmitting, over the communication data link, the second timebase to the first electronic device. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the second timebase synchronizes the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprises further instructions to:
 after providing the second timebase, adjust the relationship between the first timebase and the performance of the logical function; and 
 provide the second timebase with the adjusted relationship to the application to resynchronize the playback state of the audio content with the performance of the logical function on the first and second electronic devices. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15  comprises further instructions to determine an alignment to perform the logical function with respect to the playback state of the audio content to synchronize the performance of the logical function with the audio content during playback by the first electronic device and a second electronic device, wherein the second timebase is generated based on the determined alignment.